Iowa Exits Big Ten Tournament After Loss to Ohio State

The Iowa Hawkeyes’ run in the Big Ten Tournament has come to an end.

Iowa, which had laid down an absolute beatdown on the Ohio State Buckeyes back on Feb. 25, failed to muster an offensive attack worthy of a victory and subsequently lost after its comeback attempt fell just short, 72-69.

Isaia Howard had a chance to tie the game via a 3-pointer from the corner in the waning seconds, but his shot missed the mark, sending Iowa out of the Big Ten Tournament prematurely.

Final Score: Ohio State 72, Iowa 69
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) March 12, 2026

Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton completely took the game over, shooting 10 of 14 from the field and scoring a game-high 24 points in the Buckeyes’ win. Conversely, Iowa star Bennett Stirtz, who had to leave the game for a short spell due to an injury and oftentimes didn’t look himself, put up just 17 points. While that did lead the team, it wasn’t enough to get the Hawkeyes over the edge.

The loss ends Iowa’s chances of automatically making the NCAA Tournament, instead putting its hopes of being a participant in the Big Dance solely in the hands of the selection committee. The good news is that the Hawkeyes should be in good shape no matter what, though it still doesn’t take away the sting of losing out on a shot to claim a trophy.

Stirtz and Company Couldn’t Step Up When it Mattered Most

Mar 12, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Bennett Stirtz (14) drives to the basket against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Bennett Stirtz is the heart and soul of Iowa’s offensive attack. He’s slated to be a first-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, and his scoring has fueled Iowa from the start of the season until now. But when the team needed him most, Stirtz buckled. There were stretches of the game where he failed to score for several minutes at a time, something the Hawkeyes could ill afford in a do-or-die contest.

In total, Stirtz put up 17 points, a completely fine scoring output in a vacuum. Yet it wasn’t enough, partly because his teammates couldn’t muster enough alongside him — Cam Manyawu and Tavion Banks both had nine points apiece, while Cooper Koch, Tate Sage and Alvaro Folgueiras each had eight — and also because Stirtz himself didn’t have the kind of game required of him. That might be harsh, but Stirtz is Iowa’s superstar — as he goes, the whole team goes.

A lot will and can be made of the fact that when the team needed a 3-pointer toward the end of the game, it turned to Braden Hausen instead of Stirtz. No one will know for sure if the outcome of the game would’ve been different had Stirtz shot the ball instead. What’s certain is that the Hawkeyes failed in their mission to advance in the NCAA Tournament, and everyone deserves a little bit of the blame for that.

What’s Next for the Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa will now await to see where it stands in the NCAA Tournament. It won’t be able to control its fate via a Big Ten Tournament championship, but it should still be a lock regardless. The latest bracketology had the team as a No. 8 or No. 9 seed, something that definitely won’t change — barring something drastic — given the Hawkeyes’ results over the past couple of days.

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